Theravada Meditation: The Buddhist Transformation of Yoga

The first book in English to relate modern forms of Theravada meditational practice to its Indian roots, this volume rectifies the publishing imbalance toward Mahayana and Zen. The classic Theravada pattern in Buddhaghosa's Pat!, of Purification (circa AD. 500) is shown to be relevant to the present Buddhist world.Beginning with a general description of similarities and differences between the Upanishadic-Yogic and early Buddhist viewpoints, the author goes on to analyze Gotama's rejection-acceptance-modification of the Upanishadic-Yogic method of striving for moksa (salvation) in his search for Buddhahood (enlightenment).A second major section analyzes the meditational method of Buddhaghosa, showing the interaction between Upanishadic-Yogic jhanas (modes of concentration) and Buddhist vipassana (insight meditation).The final chapter discusses the attraction of Theravada meditation in parts of the contemporary world, notably Burma, drawing upon materials little known in the West. In Burma and, to some degree, in Ceylon and Thailand, emphasis is on a simplified meditational method open to layman as well as monk, yet viewed as fully orthodox.